A former University of Arizona track coach found guilty of assaulting a former student-athlete will serve five years. A jury handed up the verdict against Craig Carter March 30. His sentencing was Monday May 14.
Former UA track coach Craig Carter gets 5 years in prison for aggravated assault on female athlete. @kgun9
— Craig Smith (@csmithKGUNTV) May 14, 2018
As he sat down in court, Craig Carter's face seemed to show how well he knew the wreck he had made of his victims' lives---and his.
A jury found him guilty of aggravated assault for threatening Baillie Gibson with a box cutter.
He was her coach. She was a talented shot put thrower. She said he forced her into a sexual relationship, then threatened to hurt or kill her when she tried to break away.
In court Baillie Gibson, said Carter urged her to come to UA's track program then did things that made her hate the school and drove her from the sport.
“No matter how hard I try I can't escape it. Instead I am haunted by memories of Craig threatening to come after me when I least expect it and bust through my window with a loaded shotgun and kill me, my mom, my grandma and anyone else he wanted to kill."
Carter's attorney pleaded for forgiveness and said Carter has been treated for depression for the last twenty years.
Judge Teresa Godoy sentenced Carter to five years in prison. He has shorter sentences for other crimes connected to Baillie Gibson and for stalking and threatening another athlete named Julie LaBonte. He can serve all the sentences at the same time for a total of five years in prison.
Carter cried as he apologized to his victims and promised they never have to worry about him again.
He said, "I just want to move forward with my life and do the best I can and be the person I once was. Thank You."
And while Carter wants to move on with his life the women he hurt are not sure how they can move on with theirs and forget what Craig Carter did.
Baillie Gibson still has a civil lawsuit pending against Craig Carter and UA. She claims the University had a duty to protect her--and failed.
